The pundits have been delivering their score predictions for today’s big Premier League game between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield
Liverpool have failed to win any of their last four matches with Manchester City. But the pundits are unanimous in their belief that run will end in this afternoon’s massive Premier League encounter at Anfield.
That’s understandable. While City have won the last four Premier League titles and hoovered up trophy after trophy in the Pep Guardiola era, they have only won once at the home of Liverpool since 2003 and that came during the Covid-hit 2020-21 season when no supporters were present inside the ground.
But it’s more their current form that gives rise to the opinion that the Reds will record a potentially decisive victory today.
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City have lost three straight league games and five of their last six in all competitions. Another defeat on Merseyside and they would find themselves a gigantic 11 points leaders Liverpool on December 1.
It does feel a massive opportunity for the Reds to all but end their biggest rivals’ hopes of a fifth straight title. But what do the pundits think?
Chris Sutton
“I was at Anfield on Wednesday for BBC Radio 5 Live. Liverpool had a brilliant night, beating Real Madrid in the manner which they did, but there was a bit of bad news for their manager Arne Slot before the end,” said former Blackburn Rovers and Celtic striker Sutton in his BBC predictions column.
“Conor Bradley was sensational but he came off late on with what looked like a hamstring injury and then, in stoppage time, Ibrahima Konate fell awkwardly too. Ideally I would wait to see if those two are fit before I decide what will happen here but I am so far ahead of everyone else with my predictions that it is probably fairer if I make a call now.
“From City’s point of view, Erling Haaland did not have his shooting boots on against Tottenham last weekend but he did have some chances. The worrying thing was what happened when he didn’t take them, because City capitulated.
“There was another collapse, from 3-0 to 3-3, in the closing minutes against Feyenoord on Tuesday, too. Ederson’s decision making for the final Feyenoord goal was awful, but those kind of mistakes keep happening.
“Pep Guardiola is stressed and the players look edgy and short of confidence, but let’s put it into context because this is one bad month after many years of total dominance, and what Pep has achieved and done for the Premier League has been phenomenal.
“You look through their team and it makes me want to stick to my mantra from the past few weeks, which is that City will respond and remind us how good they are. We all know how good they can be and you could never rule out, say, Phil Foden coming good, or Erling Haaland putting in a big performance.
“The problem with that thought process is that there just doesn’t seem much to suggest that will happen at Anfield. Foden has not been himself all season, and I really don’t know why. Haaland is missing a lot of chances and City are conceding a lot of goals. So I just don’t see them bouncing back against Liverpool, even if Bradley and Konate cannot play.
“While Trent Alexander-Arnold could come back in for Bradley, it is the injury to Konate that gives City a glimmer of hope, because he and Virgil van Dijk have formed such a good partnership under Slot. Jarell Quansah or Joe Gomez would have to come in instead. Still, I think the intensity that Liverpool played with against Madrid will be too much for City, and I am expecting Slot’s side to repeat that. Their midfield looks so strong and Curtis Jones really impressed me against Real.
“It’s been a good week for Liverpool and a good season so far but a win to send them 11 points clear of the defending champions would make it a great week and a great campaign, and that’s what I am going for. They might not just beat City, they could take them apart like Spurs did.
“Because City have been so dominant in the Premier League, there will be a lot of people out there who would be happy to see Liverpool win the title this season. I would be one of them, I think. I said last season that I would have been happy to see Arsenal finish top, because – other than Celtic in Scotland – no-one wants to see the same team win every year. That is nothing against City or their fans, it is only because they have had it their own way for so long.”
Prediction: Liverpool 4 Manchester City 1
Paul Merson
“It’s quite unreal, isn’t it? Manchester City are eight points behind Liverpool now and if they lose on Sunday, that’s an 11-point gap between them,” said Arsenal legend Merson to Sportskeeda. “Even if City end up winning 15 games in a row after that, they would still end up behind Liverpool! To put things into perspective, that would be 28 games played, 10 more to go, City going on one of the best runs ever in Premier League history and still being behind.
“Liverpool have to lose four games out of the next 15, if City are to get ahead of them in this case. That explains how big this match is for City now. After this game, there is also the possibility of City even dropping out of the top four. It’s unbelievable how everything can change so much in the Premier League this weekend.
“I don’t trust Manchester City after what happened against Feyenoord. I have never seen anything like that and I can’t back them anymore. If Rodri was there, City wouldn’t have lost that game. I also think Julian Alvarez is a big miss for them now. Don’t get me wrong, they had to sell him for that kind of money but that is now coming back to bite them.
“I’m finding it hard to make a case for City after what happened against Feyenoord. They will score but I can’t see how Liverpool will lose at Anfield. City are so low in confidence at the moment and it does not augur well for them.”
Prediction: Liverpool 2 Manchester City 1
Harry Redknapp
“The big one, I can’t wait for this! I just can’t get over the start that Arne Slot has made, it’s been unbelievable,” said ex-Tottenham Hotspur boss Redknapp to BetVictor.
“Liverpool were fantastic against Real Madrid the other night, I know Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty but aside from that, it was so comfortable. They’ll go into this game full of confidence and expectant of a win.
What on earth is going on at Manchester City? No disrespect to Feyenoord, they’re a big club, but City should never in a million years be blowing a 3-0 lead at home to them. It just feels like maybe one year too many for some of the lads in this side. I thought at times they looked a mile off a young, dynamic Tottenham side last week.
“City’s record at Anfield is terrible even at their absolute best, so I can’t possibly pick them in this moment.”
One to watch – Curtis Jones is having the season of his career and really making that position his own. He caught the eye for England during the break and was excellent in midweek against Real.
Prediction: Liverpool 2 Manchester City 1
